MB#16: 𝙏𝙬𝙤-𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝘿𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙈𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧.

[MemoirBlogthon #16] In 1985, I faced a crisis: keep a secure bank job or pursue my dream as a professional company secretary. My father's mentorship was decisive, arranging a meeting not with himself, but with his engineering college mate: the Chairman of Andhra Bank. This memoir recounts the strategic meeting where the chairman gave me a bold two-word piece of advice that changed my life and secured my future, demonstrating the power of a mentor at a career crossroads.

This Is How an Engineer-IAS Officer Decided My Career

In 1985, I found myself at a crucial juncture. I had been selected for a clerical position at Andhra Bank (now Union Bank), a secured, pensionable, "blue-collar" job that my wife, relatives, and friends insisted I keep for life. Even so, after seven years of struggle, I had just acquired the ultimate goal: the Associate membership of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ACS), allowing me to start a dynamic professional career.

My heart belonged to the CS profession, but the security of the bank job weighed heavily on my mind. I presented my dilemma to my father: "Should I stick with the bank, or submit my three-month resignation notice and become a professional CS?"

The Strategic Mentorship

My father, known for his neutral and unbiased advice, did not answer immediately. The next morning, I found him on our landline phone. He wasn't calling a friend; he was calling the highest authority in my current employment.

He had contacted his engineering college classmate, Shri Venkataratnam garu, an accomplished engineer who had gone on to become a retired IAS officer and was now the Chairman of Andhra Bank. My father simply told him, "My eldest son is working in your bank... I would like to send him to you. I believe that you are the ideal individual to guide him during this critical phase of his career.

This act of mentorship was brilliant. He didn't tell me what to do; he arranged for me to receive unbiased guidance from an engineer-IAS officer who understood both the security of public service and the dignity of a specialized profession.

The Decisive Dialogue

I reached the Hyderabad headquarters, impressed that I had secured an appointment with the Chairman—a feat nearly impossible even for high-ranking bank officers.

The chairman asked directly, "Now tell me exactly what is on your mind." I laid out my concerns: my desire for a professional career versus the security of the bank job, where I was about to be interviewed for an officer's position, backed by my valuable CAIIB qualification.

His response was immediate, bold, and final: "Quit Bank."

This straightforward advice, which came from my ultimate super boss, surprised and elated me. I then made two requests:

1. He would call my father to share his opinion.

2. He would direct the HR department to waive the condition of the three-month prior notice of resignation, allowing me to leave quickly for a new job I had been interviewing for as Assistant Company Secretary at Hindustan Newsprints Limited in Kerala.

The Chairman called the GM-HR, waived the notice period, and then, connecting the call to my father, he sealed my fate: "Sastry Garu, I strongly recommended he quit the bank. I see a bright and dynamic future for him as a professional and dignified company secretary."

The Legacy of a Bold Decision

I immediately proceeded to submit my resignation and was relieved precisely on the date I preferred, just after completing my five-year goal at the bank. The bank manager, Sri Subbarao garu, while disappointed, offered the final third-party validation: "Mr. Suryanarayana's decision would not have been instantaneous. He has consulted his father, deliberated, and decided in a collaborative manner."

This validation acted as a tonic for my new career. The ethical rationale is evident: my father, by strategically aligning me with the right mentor at the opportune moment, instilled in me the value of seeking a strategic and honest opinion when faced with a critical decision. Because I had listened to him in the beginning and taken the bank job, I gained the CAIIB qualification. And because I listened again in 1985, I became the veteran professional I am today.

MB#16: Quiz

MB16: Question: Who was the high-profile mentor that the father arranged for the author Suryanarayana SV to meet for career advice?

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• A. The State Finance Minister.
• B. The Chairman of Andhra Bank. (Correct)
• C. The Chief Engineer of the State.
• D. The Head of the Local Rotary Club.

MB#16: Quote

"A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself." – Oprah Winfrey